Company’s Disregard for Worker Safety Results in $100,000 Fine

A temporary worker for a salvage company fell approximately three metres from an opening in a wall onto a pile of pipe, suffering a broken leg and three broken ribs. The company he was working for was convicted of several safety violations. In sentencing the company, the court considered various factors. It noted that the company didn’t have safety plans, safety documentation, hazard assessments, emergency response plans or procedures, or fall protection procedures for any of the work being done by its workers at this site. Instead, the company claimed that the site owner was responsible for the safety of all workers there—although it didn’t do anything to ensure the site owner was, in fact, taking steps to protect workers. The court concluded that the company’s “apparent disregard of the health and safety of its employees, and in particular, the temporary workers” warranted a $100,000 fine [R. v. Canadian Consolidated Salvage Ltd. (Clearway Recycling), [2013] A.J. No. 477, May 6, 2013].